Bendigo cyclists dominate at national mountain bike championships

MOUNTAIN bike stars from Bendigo went on a gold medal-winning spree at the national championships at Stromlo Forest Park near Canberra.

Peta Mullens won her first national title in the elite women’s cross-Country race at the Subaru-backed tiltes.

Racing for Target-Trek, Mullens raced the five laps of the 5.5km course in 1:29:03, 50.2 seconds ahead of second-placed Jenni King (Victoria) as Tasmania’s Rowena Fry won a sprint to be third.

Victory by Mullens followed the wins by Katherine O’Shea in the women’s elite cross-country eliminator; Jack Haig in the under-23 men’s cross-country, and Isaac Buckiell in the under-15 boys’ cross-country.

The national champonship win now has Mullens rethinking the rest of 2013.

“I’m going to have to rethink a few things this year. I’d like to see that jersey (green and gold national championships) overseas, and now that it’s on my back I might have to head over there,” she said post-race.

Haig and Buckell powered to victory on the demanding course.

Australia’s highest-placed rider in the under-23s division at last year’s world titles, Haig finished two minutes and 48 seconds clear of his nearest rival in this showdown at Stromlo.

A class performer in road and track cycling, Buckell finished 58 seconds clear of the second placegetter at the end of a hectic duel on the hills.

A previous national champion in the elite cross-country, O’Shea reigned supreme in the eliminator.

Racing for Team Torq, O’Shea struck gold in the newest event on the national MTB program.